Gomphrena plant named ‘PAST0517E’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gomphrena  plant named ‘PAST0517E’, characterized by its red-purple colored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Gomphrena pulchella.

Variety denomination: ‘PAST0517E’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gomphrena plant botanically known as Gomphrena pulchella and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PAST0517E’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Elburn, Ill. during September 2013. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Gomphrena cultivars with continuous flowering and a mounded growth habit.

The new Gomphrena cultivar is the result of open-pollination of a group of proprietary Gomphrena pulchella breeding selections not coded, not patented, characterized by red-purple colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded growth habit. Seed was harvested from all plants and sown in the field. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during July 2014 in a controlled environment in Santa Paula, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2014 in West Chicago, Ill. and Alajuela, Costa Rica has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘PAST0517E’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Gomphrena plant:

-   -   1. Red-purple colored inflorescences;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the possible female and male parents primarily in having a lighter shade of inflorescence color, a shorter plant height and more branches per plant.

Of the many commercially available Gomphrena cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Cosmic Flare’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,411. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Cosmic Flare’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Cosmic Flare’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have wider inflorescences than         plants of ‘Cosmic Flare’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘PAST0517E’. The plants were grown in 6-inch pots for approximately 10 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘PAST0517E’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘PAST0517E’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in May 2019 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately 4-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 6-inch pots for approximately 10 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 67° F. to 72° F. (19° C. to 22° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Gomphrena pulchella ‘PAST0517E’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Gomphrena pulchella breeding             selection not coded, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Gomphrena pulchella breeding             selection not coded, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 12 to 14 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 5 to 6             weeks.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderate density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Annual, vigorous,             upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 55.0 cm. Width: Approximately 65.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal             branching. Quantity of lateral branches per plant:             Approximately 14.         -   Branch.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Length:             Approximately 46.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm to             5.0 mm. Length of central internode: Approximately 7.0 cm.             Texture: Densely pubescent, strigose. Color of young stem:             146B with an overlay of 187C at nodes. Color of mature stem:             146A with an overlay of 187B at nodes. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 8. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Perpendicular to stem. Shape: Lanceolate,             keeled. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Sessile. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately             10.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 2.0 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Moderately pubescent. Texture of lower             surface: Densely pubescent, strigose. Color of upper surface             of young foliage: NN137A and midvein of 146C other venation             indistinguishable from laminae. Color of lower surface of             young and mature foliage: Closest to 147B. Color of upper             surface of mature foliage: NN137A with 139A and midvein of             146C other venation indistinguishable from laminae. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘PAST0517E’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 30 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Clover-like, papery-like heads,             persistent. Quantity per plant: Approximately 37. Fragrance:             None detected. Aspect: Facing upward or outward. Height:             Approximately 1.8 cm. Width: Approximately 3.0 cm. Quantity             of fully open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 120.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Round. Aspect: Erect to             acute angle to stem. Length: Approximately 10.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent,             strigose. Color: 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Tubular, sessile with a             five-parted perianth in a single whorl subtended by two             bracts.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Color:             N78C.         -   Perianth segments.—Quantity: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Margin:             Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately             1.0 cm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous with             sericeous base, papery-like. Color of inner surface: N78C             with NN155D at base. Color of outer surface: N78A to N78B             with NN155D at base.         -   Bracts.—Quantity per flower: 2 per flower. Shape: Ovate,             keeled. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Width: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous,             translucent. Color of upper and lower surfaces: NN155D and             N78B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity and             arrangement: Filaments united into a cylindrical tube with             five acute tips, tube encases the gynoecium. Filament             length: Approximately 1.1 mm. Filament tube width:             Approximately 1.5 mm. Color of outer and inner surfaces of             filament tube: Tips of 14A, top of tube potion of N78B             transitioning though NN155D to base of 146C. Anther shape:             Oblong, dosifixed to filament tip. Anther length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount:             Sparse. Pollen color: 14B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per             flower. Pistil length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Stigma shape:             Bi-parted. Stigma length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma             color: 145D, translucent. Style length: Less than 1.0 mm.             Style color: 146D. Ovary diameter: Less than 1.0 mm. Ovary             color: 146D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Gomphrena has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gomphrena plant named ‘PAST0517E’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 